Iron fibulae with bronze inlay from the Early Iron Age in Thrace
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57573/be-ja.15.211-220Keywords:
Iron fibulae, bronze inlay, funerary finds, Thrace, Bulgaria, Early Neolithic – Early Iron AgeAbstract
An exceptional typological variety of fibulae was established in Thrace in the Early Iron Age. They are made mainly of bronze, less often of iron, but there are also known examples of precious metals. A precise classification of the fibulae discovered in Bulgaria was created as early as the end of the 1970s. Since then, a significant database of Thracian fibulae has been accumulated, containing new types and variants. It is also very useful in outlining the distribution of the main classes of these artefacts. Among the Early Iron Age fibulae, a group of iron fibulae is noteworthy, whose bows are decorated with three spheres, often inlaid with bronze threads. The main area of distribution, and probably production, of this type of fibulae is South Thrace and more precisely the Rhodope Mountains. A series of such fibulae have been found in another relatively remote area in present-day northeast Bulgaria. Most of the finds come from necropolises – mainly from graves in tumuli, but also from dolmens and rock tombs. The aim of this article is to present this type of fibulae by specifying the chronological framework, to provide data on the technology of their manufacture and to trace their dispersion in the lands of the Thracians and their neighbours.
Downloads
References
Borislavov, B., Ivanova, N. 2007. Arheologicheski razkopki na trakijski mogilen nekropol v m. Lilovo, obshtina Devin, Smolyanska oblast. Arheologicheski otkritia i razkopki prez 2006 g. Sofia, 87–91 (in Bulgarian).
Damyanov, D. 2002. Trakiyski mogili v rayona na selo Progled, Smolyanska oblast. Rhodopica 1–2, 139–148 (in Bulgarian with English abstract).
Delev, P. 1982. Sakar planina i Iztochni Rodopi. In Fol, A. (ed.) Trakiyski pametnitsi III. Megalitite v Trakia, 2, Sofia: Nauka i izkustvo, 173–262 (in Bulgarian).
Gergova, D. 1986. Postizheniya i problemi v prouchvaneto na rannozhelyaznata epoha v Trakiya. Arheologia XXVII.1, 11–26 (in Bulgarian).
Gergova, G. 1987. Früh- und ältereisenzeitliche Fibeln in Bulgarien (Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Abteilung XIV, Band 7). München: Beck.
Kašuba, M. 2006. Fibeln mit Bügelkugeln in der Moldau und Anmerkungen zum ägäischen Einfluß im 10.–9. Jahrhundert v. Chr. Praehistorische Zeitschrift 81.2, 213–235.
Kisyov, K. 1988. Grobni nahodki ot zemlishteto na s. Yagodina v Tsentralnite Rodopi. Arheologia XXIX.4, 23–27 (in Bulgarian with French abstract).
Kisyov, K. 1991. Kam vaprosa za pogrebalniya obichay prez rannata zhelyazna epoha v Zapadnite Rodopi. Arheologia XXXIII.4, 1–8 (in Bulgarian with French abstract).
Mikov, V. 1942. Razkopki iz Rodopite. Godishnik na narodnata biblioteka v Plovdiv, 19–32 (in Bulgarian).
Mihaylov, F. 2017. Nekropol Dren–Delyan. In Patyat: Vreme bez granitsi. Spasitelni arheologicheski razkopki po traseto na avtomagistrala “Struma” na teritoriyata na oblast Kyustendil. Katalog na izlozhba. Kyustendil: Regionalen istoricheski musei, 11–19 (in Bulgarian).
Mihaylov, F. 2021. Nekropol ot VII–VI v. pr.Hr. nad s. Vrabcha, obsht. Tran. Arheologicheski otkritia i razkopki prez 2020 g. Sofia, 388–391 (in Bulgarian with English abstract).
Mihaylov, F. 2022. Novootkrit nekropol ot rannozhelyaznata epokha v Zapadna Balgaria. In Nikov, K., Ilieva P. (eds) Sbornik v chest na Rumyana Georgieva. Sofia: Artidea – Boryana Paskaleva, 45–56 (in Bulgarian with English abstract).
Nekhrizov, G. 1994. Prinos kam prouchvaneto na skalnite grobnitsi v Iztochnite Rodopi. Minalo I.2, 5–11 (in Bulgarian with English abstract).
Nekhrizov, G. 2009. Nekropol ot rannata zhelyazna epoha pri s. Stambolovo, Haskovsko. Arheologicheski otkritia i razkopki prez 2008 g. Sofia, 266–271 (in Bulgarian).
Nekhrizov, G., Mikov, R. 2002. Terenni obhozhdaniya i spasitelni razkopki vav vodosbornia rayon na Byala reka. Arheologicheski otkritia i razkopki prez 2001 g. Sofia, 76–77 (in Bulgarian).
Nekhrizov, G., Tzvetkova, J. 2010. Spasitelni arheologicheski razkopki na mogilen nekropol pri s. Stambolovo, obshtina Haskovo. Arheologicheski otkritia i razkopki prez 2009 g. Sofia, 221–224 (in Bulgarian).
Stoyanov, T. 1997. Sboryanovo. Early Iron Age Tumular Necropolis. Sofia: Svyat. Nauka.
Triandaphyllos, D. 1983. Les monuments mégalithiques en Thrace Occidentale. Pulpudeva 4, 145–163.
Triandafyllos, D., Kallintzi, Nt. 1998. Archailogika evrimata ston Kosyntho tis Xanthis. Arhaiologiko Ergo sti Makedonia kai sti Traki 12, 1–18 (in Greek with English abstract).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The authors retain full copyright on the articles or other publications.
All materials are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License, under which materials may be distributed or reproduced freely, provided the original is unchanged and is quoted correctly.
